It’s a tug-of-war like no other in the world, spanning the watery boundary between Iowa and Illinois. Those pulling for Iowa pullers had something to shout about over the weekend. In an annual tug of war across the Mississippi River, the determined team from LeClaire, Iowa, beat their counterparts from Port Byron, Illinois, five matches to four. The Illinois folks had a shot at a tie in a 10th and final match. But they were disqualified because one of them was wearing cleats. That’s a rules violation. The sweaty, muscle-bound contestants yanked on the 2,400-foot rope stretched across Ole’ Man River for two hours. The tug is a highlight of the festivals held in each community at the same time. It was the ninth victory for the Iowa side in 16 of the annual contests.
